Mu Mengjie. The Power of a Teacher’s Love. School for Everyone

In Mu Mengjie’s 49th birthday last spring, people in the rural area where he lives threw him a birthday celebration for his coming 50th year. Mu was named one of China’s 10 most inspiring people for his commitment to educating children who, too often, have been turned away from conventional schools.

Early on Mu’s birthday day, his cell phone rang nonstop. Calls came from students wishing him good cheer. Later, when the party got under way in his front yard, more than 70 former students came back to fete their beloved teacher, who once invested all his savings to fund a private school for the blind.

The students brought Mu up to date about what they were doing and their personal successes. Liliang Zhou said, “My sister’s family was relatively poor, so I helped pay for my nephew’s college tuition with my income, which my Mom could never imagine I’d ever earn.” Zhou owns a massage shop with a monthly net income of about $800.

By noon on the day of the bash, everyone was served noodle soup and a glass of bubbly to toast their cherished teacher and wish him long life. Then he raised his glass to toast his students, in return, also wishing them many fruitful years. One of the guests was sighted and a friend of a former student, who said he’d often heard his friends talking about their teacher, and wanted to meet him.

“These students are doing great!” the sighted guest said of the students who are blind. “If they had not received any education from Mu’s school, they may never have gotten out of their houses, earned enough to support themselves, or had the happy lives they have now.”

After the party, when students went back to their work places, Mu reflected on his dream 14 years ago to open a school for kids who are blind, to ensure they got an education. Today he has taught hundreds of pupils on his village campus of 2.5 acres.